Discussion (22) ¬

Ok that wasn’t malicious on Amanda’s part. She just kinda forgot what happened with Selkie. She also seems to be a little less rude about it too. Which is very good. I was so sick of her being so nasty to Selkie about that.

Yes, her facial expression in the last panel says it all. She looks sad and empathetic. A little insensitive on how to say it, but she’s a young kid. It takes time for some people to learn that kind of thing and Amanda is behind others in that respect. A very good personal growth moment for both girls, though.

That was a really kind, decent thing for Selkie to do. Probably went against what she wanted to do but she couldn’t let Amanda know the pain she’s gone through. I think she’s starting to care for Amanda, despite each other, even if she doesn’t realize it consciously yet. Because she tries to help her, even knowing Amanda will 75% of the time say something horrid back. Though I will agree that Amanda’s blurt was more just the first thing to cross her mind than one of malicious intent.

I do agree. The key difference is the “too” at the end.
She didn’t say “Oh yeah, I forgot your mother left”, as in ‘Your mother left she’s not bere I say that to you ’cause I hate you and want you to suffer’, but “Oh yeah, I forgot your mother left, too” as in ‘Ah… I didn’t remember you went through my same pain and so are telling me this because you’ve been through this and want to give me hints coming from the sane experience to avoid it, but I do not notice saying this to you might make you feel hurt about that event all over again and feel vulnerable for showing it to me because I’m a kid and kid do not think all the way through about feelings.’

Wow that was long and convoluted. Anyway, congratulations to Dave. This strip feels natural, and I liked it.

Selkie’s reaction is spot on. Amanda was realizing they have a shared experience – something that Selkie has long known and Amanda just realizing it now is… eeeeeh. AND Amanda was bringing up painful memories in the process.

sisterly bonding over abandonment issues, i totally called it! now we only need a common enemy, like a new bully at school, to force them to work together…..then again, i shudder what those two could come up with. they are already a terror each on their own, but together?! heaven help us…

Poor, poor girls. The Sisterhood of Pain. And, they have much yet to survive, in the way of ptsd etc. They are BOTH in supportive places for it, and their chances of surviving to the point of LIVING again, more days than not, are much better now than before. But…. The pain just never will be all gone. It can be used, and made part of the healing. But never, never gone.

The kids might not actually hear anything bad; they could hear something that would help Amanda understand her mom better. What if Andi’s current bravery translates into something like “Mom, I know you didn’t want me when I was a baby but I wanted Amanda and I have a chance to be with her now. I’d like you to try to accept that this is the right choice for us.” It would have to be shortened a lot to fit in speech bubbles but hey, that’s Dave’s dilemma to solve, not mine. 😀 This is probably just me wanting to see everyone in the comic be a little less hurt but it IS a Christmas comic. That would be a good present for the family.

That. That right there is what I want rather than the cliche of Amanda hearing something bad while Andi tries to say something good. I despise that cliche, even in the vaunted Gravity Falls. It is overdone.